Black Walnut Garo
This black walnut garo is a wild take on the delicious Georgian condiment that is often served with roast chicken, or smeared onto bread.
I served it with my Georgian Ruffed Grouse Tabaka and it was delicious!
Learn how to forage for and process black walnuts here.
If you don’t have access to black walnuts, you can swap them out for store bought walnuts, which will be just fine.
- Prep Time10 min
- Cook Time15 min
- Total Time25 min
- Ready in30 min
- YieldApprox. 1 cup
Ingredients
- 1/2 cup (60g) black walnuts, chopped
- 2 cloves garlic, chopped
- Kosher salt
- 1 cup (17g) cilantro leaves and stems, chopped + 1 tablespoon (1g) set aside
- 2 tablespoons (30ml) olive oil
- 1 tablespoon (15ml) white wine vinegar
- 1/2 cup (125ml) grouse or chicken stock (or water)
Preparation
Dump the chopped walnuts into a dry skillet over medium heat.
Toast for 5 minutes, or until the walnuts smell nice and toasty, stirring and tossing regularly. They can burn very quickly, so don’t walk away from these.
Pour them into a bowl to let cool.
Add the garlic to a mortar and pestle or food processor with a small pinch of salt.
Grind into a rough paste. Add the walnuts and grind them down for a minute, then add the cup of cilantro and do the same. You’re looking for a rough, chunky paste.
Start adding the olive oil, 1 teaspoon (5ml) at a time, and keep grinding until you use it all up and have a paste. Stir in the vinegar.
Add the paste to a small pot over medium low heat. Add the stock, bring to a simmer, and cook on low for 10 minutes.
Let cool.
Add the set aside tablespoon of cilantro and stir it in. Serve with roast chicken, Georgian Ruffed Grouse Tabaka, or smear onto warm bread. Enjoy!
